Firearm actuation system

ABSTRACT

An actuation system includes a bolt carrier assembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assembly including a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round. A hammer assembly is configured for striking the firing pin of the bolt carrier assembly. An auto sear assembly is configured to actuate the hammer assembly during operation of the firearm. A linkage assembly is configured to couple the bolt carrier assembly and the auto sear assembly and effectuate the auto sear assembly actuating the hammer assembly.

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/560,435, filed on 16 Nov. 2011, the contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to firearms and, more particularly, to fullyautomatic firearms.

BACKGROUND

As is known in the art, firearms are available in various configurationssuch as semiautomatic fire, fully automatic fire, and select fire. Astheir name implies, semiautomatic firearms may fire a single round eachtime the trigger is depressed. Fully automatic firearms may repeatedlyfire rounds whenever the trigger is depressed and held in a depressedposition. And select fire firearms may fire a defined quantity of rounds(e.g. three rounds) each time the trigger is depressed.

Firearms often employee some form of auto sear to accomplish select fireand fully automatic operation. For example, during select fire and fullyautomatic operation, an auto sear may be used to release the hammer andstrike the firing pin each time a round is chambered within the firearm.

One popular type of weapon is the AR platform firearm (i.e., designed byEugene Stoner and originally produced by ArmaLite). The AR platformfirearm utilizes such an auto sear to accomplish such select fire andfully automatic operation. Unfortunately, the standard AR platformfirearm uses a bolt carrier assembly to directly actuate the auto sear,resulting in the bolt carrier assembly cycling into and out of the stockassembly during operation. Accordingly, a folding stock assembly may notbe used on a standard AR platform firearm.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

In one implementation, an actuation system includes a bolt carrierassembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assemblyincluding a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round. Ahammer assembly is configured for striking the firing pin of the boltcarrier assembly. An auto sear assembly is configured to actuate thehammer assembly during operation of the firearm. A linkage assembly isconfigured to couple the bolt carrier assembly and the auto searassembly and effectuate the auto sear assembly actuating the hammerassembly.

One or more of the following features may be included. The auto searassembly may be further configured to cyclically hold the hammerassembly in a cocked position and cyclically release the hammer from thecocked position during operation of the firearm. The hammer assembly maybe configured to releasably engage the auto sear and effectuate thecyclical holding of the hammer assembly in the cocked position and thecyclical releasing of the hammer from the cocked position duringoperation of the firearm. The bolt carrier assembly may be configured tobe cyclically longitudinally displaced during operation of the firearm.The linkage assembly may be configured to be cyclically longitudinallydisplaced in response to the cyclical longitudinal displacement of thebolt carrier assembly.

The linkage assembly may be configured to be cyclically longitudinallydisplaced within an upper receiver assembly of the firearm. The upperreceiver assembly may be configured to releasably engage a lowerreceiver assembly. The lower receiver assembly may be an AR platformlower receiver assembly.

In another implementation, an actuation system includes a bolt carrierassembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assemblyincluding a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round andconfigured to be cyclically longitudinally displaced during operation ofthe firearm. A hammer assembly is configured for striking the firing pinof the bolt carrier assembly. An auto sear assembly is configured toactuate the hammer assembly during operation of the firearm andcyclically hold the hammer assembly in a cocked position and cyclicallyrelease the hammer from the cocked position during operation of thefirearm. A linkage assembly is configured to couple the bolt carrierassembly and the auto sear assembly and effectuate the auto searassembly actuating the hammer assembly.

One or more of the following features may be included. The hammerassembly may be configured to releasably engage the auto sear andeffectuate the cyclical holding of the hammer assembly in the cockedposition and the cyclical releasing of the hammer from the cockedposition during operation of the firearm. The linkage assembly may beconfigured to be cyclically longitudinally displaced in response to thecyclical longitudinal displacement of the bolt carrier assembly. Thelinkage assembly may be configured to be cyclically longitudinallydisplaced within an upper receiver assembly of the firearm. The upperreceiver assembly may be configured to releasably engage a lowerreceiver assembly. The lower receiver assembly may be an AR platformlower receiver assembly.

In another implementation, an actuation system includes a bolt carrierassembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assemblyincluding a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round. Alinkage assembly is configured to couple the bolt carrier assembly to anauto sear assembly.

One or more of the following features may be included. The bolt carrierassembly may be configured to be cyclically longitudinally displacedduring operation of the firearm. The linkage assembly may be configuredto be cyclically longitudinally displaced in response to the cyclicallongitudinal displacement of the bolt carrier assembly. The linkageassembly may be configured to be cyclically longitudinally displacedwithin an upper receiver assembly of the firearm. The upper receiverassembly may be configured to releasably engage a lower receiverassembly. The lower receiver assembly may be an AR platform lowerreceiver assembly.

The lower receiver assembly may include a hammer assembly configured forstriking the firing pin of the bolt carrier assembly and the auto searassembly. The auto sear assembly may be configured to actuate the hammerassembly during operation of the firearm. The linkage assembly may beconfigured to effectuate the auto sear assembly actuating the hammerassembly. The auto sear assembly may be further configured to cyclicallyhold the hammer assembly in a cocked position and cyclically release thehammer from the cocked position during operation of the firearm. Thehammer assembly may be configured to releasably engage the auto sear andeffectuate the cyclical holding of the hammer assembly in the cockedposition and the cyclical releasing of the hammer from the cockedposition during operation of the firearm.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features andadvantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, andthe claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a firearm according to animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an upper receiver assembly of thefirearm of FIG. 1 according to an implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a lower receiver assembly of thefirearm of FIG. 1 according to an implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIGS. 4R & 4L are diagrammatic views of components of the firearm ofFIG. 1 according to an implementation of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 5R & 5L are diagrammatic views of components of the firearm ofFIG. 1 according to an implementation of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 6R & 6L are diagrammatic views of components of the firearm ofFIG. 1 according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED IMPLEMENTATIONS

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown firearm 10. Firearm 10 mayinclude upper receiver assembly 12 and lower receiver assembly 14. Upperreceiver assembly 12 may be configured to releasably engage lowerreceiver assembly 14. An example of lower receiver assembly 14 mayinclude but is not limited to an AR platform lower receiver assembly.

Upper receiver assembly 12 may include barrel assembly 16, gas blockassembly 18, gas piston system 20, charging handle 22, bolt carrierassembly 24, and spring assembly 26 for biasing bolt carrier assembly 24in the direction of arrow 28 to chamber a bullet (not shown) withinchamber 30.

Lower receiver assembly 14 may include trigger assembly 32, disconnectorassembly 34, grip assembly 36, hammer assembly 38, fire selector switch40 (e.g., to select between semi-automatic operation, fully-automaticoperation, and safety), and auto sear assembly 42.

Referring also to FIGS. 4R, 4L, 5R & 5L and when fire selector switch 40is positioned for semi-automatic operation of firearm 10, upon thefiring of a bullet (e.g., bullet 44), bolt carrier assembly 24 may belongitudinally displaced (in the direction of arrow 46), resulting inhammer assembly 38 being rotationally displaced (in the direction ofarrow 48) about pivot point 50 into the cocked position. Specifically,hook 52 of disconnector assembly 34 may releasably engage first hook 54on hammer assembly 38.

Hammer assembly 38 will remain in this cocked position until a user offirearm 10 depresses trigger assembly 32 into the fire position (i.e.,in the direction of arrow 56). Upon depressing trigger assembly 32,disconnector assembly 34 will disengage from hammer assembly 38. Hammerassembly 38 may include spring assembly 55 for biasing hammer assembly38 in the opposite direction of arrow 48 (namely into the uprightposition and in contact with bolt carrier assembly 24).

Accordingly, upon a user depressing trigger assembly 32 in the directionof arrow 56, hammer assembly 38 may be released from disconnectorassembly 34 and hammer assembly 38 may pivot about pivot point 50 (inthe direction opposite of arrow 48) and may strike firing pin 58, whichlongitudinally passes through bolt carrier assembly 24 and strikes achambered round (not shown), resulting in the discharge of bullet 44.

Referring also to FIGS. 6R & 6L, when fire selector switch 40 ispositioned for fully-automatic operation of firearm 10, firearm 10 mayfunction differently due to the operation of actuation system 60 thatallows for fully-automatic operation of firearm 10. Actuation system 60may include bolt carrier assembly 24 (including firing pin 58 configuredfor striking a chambered round, not shown). Actuation system 60 may alsoinclude hammer assembly 38, which (as discussed above) is configured forstriking firing pin 58 of bolt carrier assembly 24. Actuation system 60may also include auto sear assembly 62 that may be configured to actuatehammer assembly 38 during operation of firearm 10. Actuation system 60may also include linkage assembly 64 that may be configured to couplebolt carrier assembly 24 and auto sear assembly 62 and effectuate autosear assembly 62 actuating hammer assembly 38.

As will be discussed below, auto sear assembly 62 may be configured tocyclically hold hammer assembly 38 in a cocked position (in thedirection of arrow 48) and cyclically release hammer 38 from the cockedposition (so that it moves in the directions opposite of arrow 48)during operation of firearm 10.

Continuing with the above-stated example and when fire selector switch40 is positioned for fully-automatic operation of firearm 10, upon thefiring of a bullet (e.g., bullet 44), bolt carrier assembly 24 may belongitudinally displaced (in the direction of arrow 46), resulting inhammer assembly 38 being rotationally displaced (in the direction ofarrow 48) about pivot point 50 into the above-described cocked position.Specifically and as discussed above, hook 52 of disconnector assembly 34may releasably engage first hook 54 on hammer assembly 38 (provided thattrigger assembly 32 is not depressed in the direction of arrow 56).

As discussed above, hammer assembly 38 will remain in this cockedposition until a user of firearm 10 again depresses trigger assembly 32into the fire position (i.e., in the direction of arrow 56). Upondepressing trigger assembly 32, disconnector assembly 34 may disengagefrom hammer assembly 38 and hammer assembly 38 may pivot about pivotpoint 50 (in the direction opposite of arrow 48) and may strike firingpin 58, which longitudinally passes through bolt carrier assembly 24 andstrikes a chambered round (not shown), resulting in the discharge ofbullet 44.

In the event that the user continues to depress (i.e., hold) triggerassembly 32 in the direction of 56, firearm 10 may repeatedly fire(i.e., discharge) in an automated fashion until the user releasestrigger assembly 32.

Accordingly, assume for illustrative purposes that the user continues todepress trigger assembly 32 in the direction of arrow 56. Therefore,disconnector assembly 34 will be displaced and, thus, prevented fromengaging hammer assembly 38. However, upon hammer assembly 38 rotatingabout pivot point 50 in the direction of arrow 48, second hook 66 onhammer assembly 38 may engage lower edge 68 of auto sear assembly 62,thus locking hammer assembly 38 in the cocked position (at leasttemporarily).

However, during normal operation of firearm 10, bolt carrier assembly 24is cyclically longitudinally displaced in the direction of arrow 46 andarrow 28. Accordingly, once travel of bolt carrier assembly 24 in thedirection of arrow 46 is complete, bolt carrier assembly 24 will bedisplaced in the direction of arrow 28 (e.g., due to the bias of springassembly 26).

As discussed above, linkage assembly 64 may be configured to couple boltcarrier assembly 24 and auto sear assembly 62 and effectuate auto searassembly 62 actuating hammer assembly 38. Specifically, forward portion70 of linkage assembly 64 may be configured to slidably engage boltcarrier assembly 24, wherein displacement of bolt carrier assembly 24 inthe direction of arrow 28 may result in displacement of linkage assembly64 in the direction of arrow 28. Accordingly, linkage assembly 64 may beconfigured to be cyclically longitudinally displaced within upperreceiver assembly 12 in response to the cyclical longitudinaldisplacement of bolt carrier assembly 24.

Specifically and upon linkage assembly 64 being displaced in thedirection of arrow 28, rearward portion 72 of linkage assembly 64 mayengage upper edge 74 of auto sear assembly 62, resulting in auto searassembly 62 pivoting in the direction of arrow 76 and the disengagementof second hook 66 of hammer assembly 38 and lower edge 68 of auto searassembly 62. Accordingly, spring assembly 55 may bias hammer assembly 38in the opposite direction of arrow 48 (namely into the upright positionand in contact with bolt carrier assembly 24), thus resulting in thestriking of firing pin 58 and the discharge of bullet 44.

Accordingly, hammer assembly 38 may be configured to releasably engageauto sear 62 and effectuate the cyclical holding of hammer assembly 38in the cocked position and the cyclical releasing of hammer 38 from thecocked position during fully-automatic operation of firearm 10.

Having thus described the disclosure of the present application indetail and by reference to implementations thereof, it will be apparentthat modifications and variations are possible without departing fromthe scope of the disclosure defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An actuation system comprising: a bolt carrierassembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assemblyincluding a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round; ahammer assembly configured for striking the firing pin of the boltcarrier assembly; an auto sear assembly configured to actuate the hammerassembly during operation of the firearm; and a linkage assemblyconfigured to couple the bolt carrier assembly and the auto searassembly and effectuate the auto sear assembly actuating the hammerassembly.
 2. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein the auto searassembly is further configured to cyclically hold the hammer assembly ina cocked position and cyclically release the hammer from the cockedposition during operation of the firearm.
 3. The actuation system ofclaim 2 wherein the hammer assembly is configured to releasably engagethe auto sear and effectuate the cyclical holding of the hammer assemblyin the cocked position and the cyclical releasing of the hammer from thecocked position during operation of the firearm.
 4. The actuation systemof claim 1 wherein the bolt carrier assembly is configured to becyclically longitudinally displaced during operation of the firearm. 5.The actuation system of claim 4 wherein the linkage assembly isconfigured to be cyclically longitudinally displaced in response to thecyclical longitudinal displacement of the bolt carrier assembly.
 6. Theactuation system of claim 1 wherein the linkage assembly is configuredto be cyclically longitudinally displaced within an upper receiverassembly of the firearm.
 7. The actuation system of claim 6 wherein theupper receiver assembly is configured to releasably engage a lowerreceiver assembly.
 8. The actuation system of claim 7 wherein the lowerreceiver assembly is an AR platform lower receiver assembly.
 9. Anactuation system comprising: a bolt carrier assembly configured for usewithin a firearm, the bolt carrier assembly including a firing pinconfigured for striking a chambered round and configured to becyclically longitudinally displaced during operation of the firearm; ahammer assembly configured for striking the firing pin of the boltcarrier assembly; an auto sear assembly configured to actuate the hammerassembly during operation of the firearm and cyclically hold the hammerassembly in a cocked position and cyclically release the hammer from thecocked position during operation of the firearm; and a linkage assemblyconfigured to couple the bolt carrier assembly and the auto searassembly and effectuate the auto sear assembly actuating the hammerassembly.
 10. The actuation system of claim 9 wherein the hammerassembly is configured to releasably engage the auto sear and effectuatethe cyclical holding of the hammer assembly in the cocked position andthe cyclical releasing of the hammer from the cocked position duringoperation of the firearm.
 11. The actuation system of claim 10 whereinthe linkage assembly is configured to be cyclically longitudinallydisplaced in response to the cyclical longitudinal displacement of thebolt carrier assembly.
 12. The actuation system of claim 9 wherein thelinkage assembly is configured to be cyclically longitudinally displacedwithin an upper receiver assembly of the firearm.
 13. The actuationsystem of claim 12 wherein the upper receiver assembly is configured toreleasably engage a lower receiver assembly.
 14. The actuation system ofclaim 13 wherein the lower receiver assembly is an AR platform lowerreceiver assembly.
 15. An actuation system comprising: a bolt carrierassembly configured for use within a firearm, the bolt carrier assemblyincluding a firing pin configured for striking a chambered round; and alinkage assembly configured to couple the bolt carrier assembly to anauto sear assembly.
 16. The actuation system of claim 15 wherein thebolt carrier assembly is configured to be cyclically longitudinallydisplaced during operation of the firearm.
 17. The actuation system ofclaim 16 wherein the linkage assembly is configured to be cyclicallylongitudinally displaced in response to the cyclical longitudinaldisplacement of the bolt carrier assembly.
 18. The actuation system ofclaim 15 wherein the linkage assembly is configured to be cyclicallylongitudinally displaced within an upper receiver assembly of thefirearm.
 19. The actuation system of claim 18 wherein the upper receiverassembly is configured to releasably engage a lower receiver assembly.20. The actuation system of claim 19 wherein the lower receiver assemblyis an AR platform lower receiver assembly.
 21. The actuation system ofclaim 19 wherein the lower receiver assembly includes: a hammer assemblyconfigured for striking the firing pin of the bolt carrier assembly; andthe auto sear assembly, wherein the auto sear assembly is configured toactuate the hammer assembly during operation of the firearm; wherein thelinkage assembly is configured to effectuate the auto sear assemblyactuating the hammer assembly.
 22. The actuation system of claim 21wherein the auto sear assembly is further configured to cyclically holdthe hammer assembly in a cocked position and cyclically release thehammer from the cocked position during operation of the firearm.
 23. Theactuation system of claim 22 wherein the hammer assembly is configuredto releasably engage the auto sear and effectuate the cyclical holdingof the hammer assembly in the cocked position and the cyclical releasingof the hammer from the cocked position during operation of the firearm.